Longwell's FG lifts Vikings over Panthers

Oct 30, 2011 - 10:25 PM
Charlotte, NC (Sports Network) - Ryan Longwell hit a 31-yard field goal with
under three minutes to play while Olindo Mare missed a 31-yarder with 26
seconds left as Minnesota escaped with a 24-21 win over Carolina on Sunday.

Christian Ponder was 18-of-28 for 236 yards and a touchdown while Adrian
Peterson totaled 162 yards with a rushing and receiving TD for the Vikings
(2-6), who snapped a two-game losing streak.

"This was a great team win against a great opponent," said Ponder. "The
defense came up with stops when we needed them to and everyone pitched in on
that last drive. This was a good game all around."

Cam Newton had three touchdown passes and went 22-for-35 with 290 yards,
adding 53 yards on six rushes for the Panthers (2-6), who were coming off a
win against Washington last Sunday.

"Too many turnovers and too many penalties when we didn't need them," said
Carolina head coach Ron Rivera. "We're too young of a team to overcome
adversity like that and give Minnesota credit, they took advantage of our
mistakes."

With the score tied and the ball at their own 15, the Vikings went on a 13-
play, 72-yard drive that was finished on a 31-yard field goal from Longwell
with 2:43 left. The big play of the drive was a 22-yard catch by Percy Harvin
on 2nd-and-15.

Carolina started at its 24 and Newton's seven-yard pass to Jonathan Stewart on
3rd-and-1 moved the chains. Faced with a fourth down, Carolina had to go for
it and Newton feathered a perfect pass just over the fingers of a defender and
into the arms of Brandon LaFell, who took the pass 44 yards to the Minnesota
21.

The Panthers were only able to gain eight yards and faced a 31-yard field goal
try from Mare, but he missed it to the left and Ponder took a knee to end the
game.

"We talked all week about playing a full 60 minutes and I couldn't be more
proud of my guys than I am today," said Minnesota head coach Leslie Frazier.

Minnesota started the game with excellent field position as Marcus Sherels
took the kickoff to the Carolina 27 where he was forced out of bounds.
However, the team was unable to move the ball and Longwell missed badly on a
45-yard field goal attempt.

Newton, though, fumbled on his first snap after he was sacked by E.J.
Henderson and the Vikings recovered at the Carolina 16. Two plays later,
Harvin took the ball into the end zone from 10 yards out for a 7-0 lead.

The score stayed that way until Carolina tied the game early in the second
when Newton rolled out to the right and found Jeremy Shockey in the back of
the end zone from one yard out. The nine-play, 90-yard drive, Carolina's
longest of the season, featured a 12-yard catch from Steve Smith that saw
Minnesota called for a face mask and a 26-yard catch from Smith that was
initially ruled a score, but replay showed he was down at the one-yard line.

Following a quick three-and-out from Minnesota, Carolina started a drive with
the ball near midfield and needed just five plays to score as Newton hit Greg
Olsen in stride near the Minnesota 15 and he took it in for a 39-yard score
and a 14-7 lead with 10:18 left in the half.

Minnesota followed with a long drive and got into the red zone, but Captain
Munnerlyn stripped Harvin of the ball after a reception and Carolina took over
at its own five.

Carolina got the ball close to midfield, but Jared Allen hit Newton's arm,
causing a fumble that Minnesota recovered at the Carolina 39.

Peterson caught a 20-yard pass on the first play and the next play saw him
catch a short pass near the line of scrimmage and take it in untouched to tie
the game heading into halftime.

Carolina started the second half with the ball and used it to take the lead as
Newton hit Smith over the middle near the five and he took it in on a 22-yard
score for a 21-14 lead. The nine-play, 80-yard drive included a 22-yard catch
by Legedu Naanee that was unsuccessfully challenged by Minnesota.

Following an exchange of punts, Minnesota went on a 12-play, 90-yard drive
that was capped when Peterson took a handoff, cut out to the right and spun
off a tackler on a nine-yard score with 1:58 left in the third.

Game Notes

Peterson had 86 yards on 21 carries and 76 yards on five catches...Smith
finished the game with seven catches for 100 yards...Allen has a league-
leading 12 1/2 sacks on the season...Carolina and Minnesota both have off next
week...Carolina had won four of the previous six against Minnesota coming into
the game.